Method and apparatus for non-rotary machining

Abstract

A non-rotary shaping method (700, 800, 900) and shaping center (600) for forming a part using a non-rotating cutting tool (400) for removing material from a non-rotating workpiece within a three-dimensional work envelope that obsoletes the use of mills for profiling operations. Without the need to rotate to produce sufficient surface footage to remove material, the cutting tool (400) applies constant cutting force to the workpiece along a one-, two-, or three-dimensional cutting path. Also, without the need to rotate, neither the cutting tool nor the part are constrained in shape by axial symmetrical. Therefore, parts without any restriction in shape can be produced with finer surface finishes and higher material removal rates than by milling.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0001]This invention relates generally to methods and tools for machining parts and, more particularly, to machines that are capable of performing profiling operations.BACKGROUND[0002]Machining operations fall into two large categories: Hole-making and profiling. Hole-making includes drilling, tapping, and counterboring. Profiling is the removal of material from a workpiece by means of cutting to produce a specified shape and surface finish. Both lathes and mills can perform profiling operations. Generally, lathes produce parts at faster material removal rates and with finer surface finishes than mills. However, the profiling operation of a lathe is restricted to a two-dimensional work envelope which limits the parts it can produce to those with circular cross-sections. A mill can profile within a three-dimensional work envelope, which permits the production of parts with a greater range of shapes, although at a slower material removal rate and with a rougher f...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The present invention is a method and apparatus for profiling operations that combines the advantages of lathes and mills by using a non-rotary method. This allows for the production of parts with unrestricted shapes and surfaces with fine finishes. The invention overcomes the limitations of current machines by allowing for three-dimensional motion within a three-dimensional work envelope. The non-rotary cutting tool used in the invention can produce parts with complex shapes and is capable of high material removal rates. The invention also includes various insertable cutting edges for the non-rotary cutting tool. Overall, the invention provides a faster, more efficient, and more flexible method for profiling operations.

Problems solved by technology

No other method or apparatus for machining can produce these results on a single machine tool in a single profiling operation.

However, the need to rotate the cutting tool imposes the constraint of axial symmetry upon it.

This type of surface cannot be produced using prior art milling techniques.

Consequently, any cutting force that must be diverted to rotation of the tool, commonly called the “cutting speed” or “surface footage”, reduces the force available to increase the feed rate and, in turn, increases the material removal rate.

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